Average power rating of opponents played: PHILADELPHIA 16.3, DENVER 20

SCHEDULE AND RESULTS

PHILADELPHIA - Season Results

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Team Stats

Opp Stats

Date

Opponent

Score

SU

Line

ATS

Tot.

O/U

Rushing

Passing

TO

Rushing

Passing

TO

9/9/2013

@ WASHINGTON

33-27

W

4

W

51

O

49-263

15-25-180

2

18-74

30-49-308

3

9/15/2013

SAN DIEGO

30-33

L

-7.5

L

51

O

20-89

23-37-422

0

31-126

36-47-413

2

9/19/2013

KANSAS CITY

16-26

L

-3

L

50.5

U

28-260

13-30-171

5

37-147

22-35-248

0

9/29/2013

@ DENVER

10/6/2013

@ NY GIANTS

10/13/2013

@ TAMPA BAY

10/20/2013

DALLAS

10/27/2013

NY GIANTS

DENVER - Season Results

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Team Stats

Opp Stats

Date

Opponent

Score

SU

Line

ATS

Tot.

O/U

Rushing

Passing

TO

Rushing

Passing

TO

9/5/2013

BALTIMORE

49-27

W

-7

W

48

O

23-65

27-42-445

2

21-58

34-62-335

2

9/15/2013

@ NY GIANTS

41-23

W

-3.5

W

52.5

O

29-109

30-43-307

1

19-23

28-49-353

4

9/23/2013

OAKLAND

37-21

W

-16

T

48.5

O

35-164

32-37-372

2

17-49

21-31-293

0

9/29/2013

PHILADELPHIA

10/6/2013

@ DALLAS

10/13/2013

JACKSONVILLE

10/20/2013

@ INDIANAPOLIS

10/27/2013

WASHINGTON

KEY GAME INFORMATION

PHILADELPHIA: There's been much conjecture about whether or not new head coach Chip Kelly's frenetic Oregon offense will translate to the NFL. But most likely, he's not bringing that offense to Philly. The Eagles will surely play up-tempo, and they'll likely mix some read option stuff in, in an attempt to get LeSean McCoy and Bryce Brown into space. And Michael Vick will get to run a few keepers. But new offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur is from the Andy Reid coaching tree and will surely bring a more traditional touch to this offense. McCoy will take the majority of the work, but Brown will also get plenty of reps.
The Eagles will try to use tempo and play-action to create confusion in their passing game. Expect a lot of two-tight end looks with Vick on the move more often than not. It's unclear if Brent Celek will hold off James Casey and Zach Ertz, two tight ends Kelly brought in. DeSean Jackson figures to be even more of an all-or-nothing deep threat than he was during the Andy Reid years. Jeremy Maclin, if healthy, should be their No. 1 receiver with the ability to be effective in a variety of roles. The backs will also be featured heavily in the screen game. The Eagles figure to get a little more pass-heavy in the red zone, where their multi-tight end sets will create play-action opportunities.
The Eagles hope new defensive coordinator Billy Davis can improve the team's pathetic 13 takeaways in 2012 (tied for last in NFL). Davis' 3-4 based scheme will operate in multiple looks with several blitz packages. It will feature many new faces, such as mountainous NT Isaac Sopoaga, pass-rushing OLB Connor Barwin and possibly four new starters in the secondary -- CB Bradley Fletcher, CB Cary Williams FS Kenny Phillips and SS Pat Chung. Two hard-nosed linebackers remain in ILB DeMeco Ryans and OLB Trent Cole.

DENVER: This is basically Peyton Manning's offense, which means they take what opponents give them when it comes to the running game. Offensive line coach Dave Magazu has brought zone blocking back to Denver, even if it's not to the extent that it was during the Mike Shanahan heyday. Rookie Montee Ball should lead the committee, as he's their best runner and an effective pass protector; there's no such thing as a 'running down' with Manning. It will essentially be a hot hand situation between Knowshon Moreno and Ronnie Hillman for the rest of the snaps.
Manning is essentially doing the same thing he did in Indianapolis. It's a lot of pre-snap adjustments and, because of his deteriorating arm strength, more quick hitters. Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker will work on the outside as receiver 1 and 1A. They'll go to a three-receiver base with Wes Welker coming in, and the former Patriot will likely take over as Manning's No. 1 target. Joel Dreessen is more of a blocking tight end, though he does see a few safety-valve targets. Jacob Tamme's playing time figures to drop with Welker's arrival. The Broncos remained a balanced team in the red zone, mostly because opponents often kept extra defensive backs on the field against Manning.
The Broncos tied the NFL lead with 52 sacks in their first year under DC Jack Del Rio in 2012, but departed with DE Elvis Dumervil (11 sacks) due to an agent fax machine error. However, OLB Von Miller (18.5 sacks) remains along with versatile OLB Wesley Woodyard (117 tackles). The addition of playmaking CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (16 INT, 4 TD in career) helps make up for losing CB Tracy Porter, and future Hall-of-Famer CB Champ Bailey is still playing at a high level. Having the NFL's easiest schedule also helps a lot.

The best start of Peyton Manning's career has the Denver Broncos on the verge of team history.

The Broncos will be trying for a franchise-record 15th consecutive regular-season win Sunday when the Philadelphia Eagles come to town.

It would tie them for the ninth-longest streak all-time, still a ways back from the league-record of 23 that Manning helped Indianapolis set from 2008-09.

Denver's run of 14 in a row, dating to a loss at New England on Oct. 7, ties the franchise record set from 1997-98 during the team's two Super Bowl-winning seasons. Manning, a Colts rookie in 1998, didn't figure one way or the other into that streak, but his start this year has everything to do with potentially topping it.

"We get to play with one of the greatest quarterbacks and football players to ever play the game," tight end Julius Thomas said. "He's great. There's no other way to cut it up or slice it."

The future Hall of Famer has never opened a season with a three-game quarterback rating higher than his current one of 134.7, which leads the NFL. His previous best was 119.9 in 2004.

"It's a huge challenge," Eagles coach Chip Kelly said. "He's one of the all-time great quarterbacks in the history of the league, not just this season, he's done it for such a long time. He prides himself on his preparation. I think if you're a competitor, you're looking forward to it."

Kelly's club must face the league's best offense through three weeks. The Broncos (3-0) are putting up averages of 486.7 yards and 42.3 points, 10.3 better than second-best Green Bay.

Manning has a record 12 passing touchdowns through three games. He's gotten there without throwing an interception, which ties the record number of TD passes Eagles quarterback Michael Vick had in 2010 before his first pick. It took Vick eight games to get there.

Demaryius Thomas has a team-high 20 catches and 307 yards, while Julius Thomas and Wes Welker are one off the league lead with four touchdown catches apiece. Eric Decker has 17 receptions in his last two games, including eight for 133 yards and a score in a 37-21 win over Oakland on Monday night.

"I don't have a great comparison to other years, but guys are making good plays in the passing game," Manning said. "We're doing a good job getting yards after the catch. That makes a big difference. ... Those are the kind of plays that really help get the drives going."

The Eagles (26.3) might not be scoring as much as the Broncos, but they're certainly moving the ball and are second in the league with an average of 461.7 yards.

They have the league's top rushing offense with 627 yards. They're the only team this year to crack 500, and their 6.6 yards-per-carry average is 1.3 higher than any other team.

LeSean McCoy leads the league with 395 yards rushing while Vick is tied for 14th with 187 while averaging 10.4 per carry.

Those numbers might not matter if the Eagles (1-2) can't find a way to defend the pass against Manning. They're allowing an average of 323.0 yards through the air, worse than every team other than the Broncos (327.0), Washington and San Diego.

"Pass defense is everybody," Kelly said. "It's generating the pass rush, not letting the quarterback feel comfortable, being close in coverage. It's a combination of all those things."

Vick's first two games this year were promising, helping Kelly to his first NFL win in Week 1 against Washington before losing a shootout with Philip Rivers in Week 2 at home against San Diego.

He hit a snag in a 26-16 home loss to Kansas City last Thursday, completing 13 of 30 attempts for 201 yards and a touchdown with his first two interceptions of the year.

The Broncos' defense, though, showed some holes against a far less proven quarterback in Week 3, yielding 281 yards and a touchdown on 28 attempts by Oakland's Terrelle Pryor.

"We probably played a little bit loose," cornerback Chris Harris said. "I'm not giving excuses. They made plays. A lot of things happened when he scrambled. We have another scrambling quarterback this week. That's something we need to improve on."

It's been good enough for the Broncos to record their best start since 2009.